Blank for folding boxes and the like



June 4, 1957 A. J. WEISS BLANK FOR FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Filid D00. 2, 1954 Duezc no or GER/N 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 DIREC 710A! of GRIHN June 4, 1957 J, wg ss 2,794,587

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I l l I ---j-- 122 720 June 4, 1957 A. J. WEISS BLANK FOR FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE a Shets-Sheet a Filfld D00. 2, 1954 a m M 21/ M 2 2 2 2 H b v 2 /U\\ l 0 a a .w A L ilil fl. y H a a u w .2 m |..|I.I..:|.r.| m M n Ro 2 M Ma 5 M w w W 4 F IIU 4 5 mm m w a m m w K .u o0 w a 2 w w 2 h a .8 4 o I 2 2 b 6 Z 2 2 I 2 '1 I 2 214% C TION 0F GRIN Patented June 4, 1957 BLANK FOR FOLDING BOXES AND THE LIKE Arthur J. Weiss, Bergenfield, N. J., assignor to Robert Gair Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 2, 1954, Serial No. 472,647

Claims. (Cl. 229-30) The present invention relates to boxes and related articles formed from blanks consisting of fiat sheets of material. For example, the present invention may be embodied in boxes made from blanks which are formed by cutting and creasing a material such as paperboard. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structural feature which may be embodied in blanks of many different forms for boxes and related articles in which such structural feature otters advantages, in varying degree, in strength of the finished box or article, facilitation of setting up the same and economy in the manufacture of blanks.

The structural feature which is common to various embodiments of the present invention, several illustrative forms of which will be disclosed in detail herein, consists in the provision in one of two contiguous panels of a slit and a score line disposed at suitable angles with respect to the remainder of the blank and with respect to each other whereby said contiguous panels may be moved into superposed relation with one portion of the blank turned through an angle of say 90 with respect to the other whereby to form a substantially flat blank having portions of double thickness in the zone in which said contiguous panels are superposed with the remaining portions of the blank defining an outline which may be dilferent from the outline of the blank as originally cut. In this manner final outlines may be achieved which might be uneconomical to achieve in the original cutting of the blank. Also certain materials exhibit diiferent strength in different directions, for instance paperboard which frequently has a pronounced grain and is decidedly stiffer in the direction of the grain than it is transversely of the grain. In such instances the present invention makes it possible to provide a blank in which the grain direction in certain panels is disposed in non-parallel relation with the grain direction in other panels.

The advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description of several illustrative embodiments, which represent preferred but not necessarily the only forms of the present invention, taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank made in accordance with the present invention for forming an open-top cubical box;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank of Fig. l with parts thereof moved into a position for erection of a box;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, with parts broken away, of a box erected from the blank shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views respectively similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and showing a modified form of blank and box; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar respectively to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and showing a further modified form of blank and box.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, a blank indicated generally at 10, may be made from any suitable grade and caliper of paperboard or similar foldable material from which boxes are customarily manufactured. The blank 10 includes a bottom panel 12, a side wall panel 14 and another side wall panel 16. The panels 14 and 16 are bounded with the bottom panel 12 by score lines 18 and 20, respectively, along which the side wall panels 14 and 16 may be folded into positions perpendicular to the bottom panel 12 for erection of the box. Side wall panels 22 and 24 are separated, respectively, from the side wall panels 14 and 16 by cuts or slits 26 and 28, respectively, and are hinged to a secondary bottom panel 30 along score lines 32 and 34, respectively. The secondary bottom panel 30 is provided with a diagonally disposed cut or slit 36 which extends from the intersection between the slit 26 and the score line 32, inwardly to the center of the secondary panel 30 where it intersects a diagonally extending score line 38 which terminates at the intersection between the slit 28 and score line 34. The angle between the slit 36 and score line 38 is a right angle and in this particular form of the invention in which the wall-forming panels are square the apex of such angle is in the center of the secondary bottom panel 30. A score line 40 separates the secondary panel 30 from the bottom panel 12.

When it is desired to set up a box from the blank thus described, the panels 22, 30 and 24 are moved as a unit relative to the remaining panels causing separation to occur along the slits 26, 28 and 36. The unit may be moved upwardly and over the panels 12, 14 and 16 and simultaneously turned in a counter-clockwise direction to cause bending of the blank along the score lines 40 and 38. The triangular portion bounded by the score lines 40 and 38 and the slit 36 is folded first upwardly and then down into face contact with the bottom panel 12. Such movement places the blank in the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the edges 36a and 36b of the slit 36 are separated and extend diagonally across the bottom panel 12. Alternatively, the unit consisting of panels 22, 30 and 24 may be moved downwardly and beneath the panels 12, 14 and 16 to bring the blank into a form similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the panel 30 will be beneath the panel 12.

In either event the side wall panels 14, 16, 22 and 24 may then be folded upwardly along the appropriate score lines to assume the positions shown in Fig. 3. The side wall panels may be secured in erected position by any suitable means. For purposes of illustration they are shown secured by metal corner stay strips of any conventional form, such strips being indicated at 42.

From an observation of Fig. 2, it will be apparent that the cruciform configuration required for the erection of the box shown in Fig. 3 is achieved by providing in the secondary bottom panel 30 the angularly disposed slit 36 and score line 38 which intersect at right angles in the central zone of the panel 12. It also will be apparent that if the cruciform shape shown in Fig. 2 were achieved by cutting a fiat five-panel blank from a rectangular master sheet, such master sheet would have an area equal at least to the area of nine panels such as the panels 14, 16, etc. In contrast with this the blank in Fig. l is rectangular and has an area equal to six such panels. While cruciform blanks are customarily nested" on the master sheet, there is inevitably some waste and in at least some instances the blank of the present invention may be formed with less waste.

A particular advantage of the construction just described lies in the fact that blanks 10 may be so arranged on the master sheet that the grain runs in the direction indicated by the arrows positioned in panels 14 and 22. When the blank is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2, the grain in the panel 22 runs at right angles to the grain in panel 14. Thus when the blank of Fig. 2 is formed into a box, as shown in Fig. 3, the grain of all of the side wall panels 14, 16, 22 and 24 will run vertically. This imparts greater stacking strength to the containers since in many instances the material from which the containers are made will exhibit greater crushing strength along lines parallel with the grain. In contrast with this. if a fiat cruciform blank were to be cut as in the prior practice, the grain would run vertically in two of the side wall panels and inevitably would run transversely of the other two side wall panels.

It might appear that the results described above could be achieved from a blank of the same area as that shown in Fig. 1 which has been cut into two pieces along the lines 26, 40, 28. These two separate pieces might be assembled crosswise with a bottom of double thickness to produce a blank of cruciform outline suitable for erection of the box shown in Fig. 3. While such operation would achieve some economy in boxboard and could result in vertical grain in the side walls, it would not lend itself to rapid and accurate erection essential to box manufacture on a commercial scale. The two separate blanks would have to be accurately positioned with respect to each other and held in some manner during the fastening of the corners. According to the present invention the blank is self-aligning. The simple folding, lifting and turning operation described above places the components of the blank in precise registry without attention from the operator. If metal corner stays are used, they are customarily applied in a hand-fed machine in which each corner is individually stayed. Thus the user of the present invention will arrange the blank as shown in Fig. 2 and will fold any adjacent pair of side wall panels, such as 14 and 24 for example, with their edges in registry and will place such edges upon the anvil of the corner staying machine. The machine is then operated to apply the stay 42 which pierces the adjacent wall areas and securely fastens the stay over the adjacent edges. The remaining corners are successively stayed in the same fashion. Since this entire operation must be performed rapidly and accurately, it is readily apparent that the self-aligning feature of the present blank is an essential and substantially indispensible attribute of the present invention.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4, and 6 is very similar to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the cross-section of the erected box is an elongated rectangle rather than a square. The blank indicated generally at 110 includes a rectangular bottom panel 112 and side wall panels 114 and 116 separated therefrom by score lines 118 and 120 respectively. The relative dimensions of the panels 112, 114 and 116 may be so chosen as to establish the desired cross-sectional ilialpe and height of the box to be erected from the blank The blank 110 is also provided with side wall panels 122 and 124 separated from the remainder of the blank along slits or cuts 126 and 128, respectively, and joined along score lines 132 and 134, respectively, with a sec ondary bottom panel 130. A slit or cut 136 extends from the intersection of the slit 126 with score line 132 diagonally inwardly of the secondary bottom panel 130 where it intersects a diagonally extending score line 138. The score line 138 extends from the intersection between the slit 128 and score line 134. Each of the lines 136 and 138 are disposed at 45 to the score lines 132 and 134, respectively, so as to intersect along the longitudinal center line of the secondary bottom panel 130 and to describe at that point a right angle. A score line 140 serves to separate the secondary bottom panel 130 from the bottom panel 112.

The blank shown in Fig. 4 may be moved into the position shown in Fig. 5 by a combined lifting and turning movement imparted to the panels 122, 124 and 130 as a unit relative to the panels 112, 114 and 116, as described above in connection with the modification shown in Figs. 1 through 3. Such operation separates the edges 136a and 13Gb of the slot 136 and places the tri- 4 angle bounded by score lines 138 and and slit 136 in face contact with the upper surface of the bottom panel 112 to dispose the various panels in the positions shown in Fig. 5.

The box shown in Fig. 6 may be erected from the blank shown in Fig. 5, and secured in any desired fashion, as by metal corner stays 142, all as described above in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. As in the first form of this invention it may be advantageous to arrange the grain of the material as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5 whereby the grain will run vertically of all four side walls of the box shown in Fig. 6. Also it will be apparent that under particular circumstances the outline of the flat blank shown in Fig. 4 may be more economically cut from a master sheet than the outline assumed thereby in Fig. 5.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 constitutes a box which may be rectangular, as shown, or may be substantially cubical and it differs from the first two forms of this invention largely in the provision of a cover with tuck flap and cover supporting flaps as conventionally provided in boxes of this general type. From a consideration of the outline of the fiat blank as shown in Fig. 7 and the outline of said blank when prepared for erection, as shown in Fig. 8, it will be apparent that blanking economy may be effected in many instances by the practice of the present invention.

The flat blank shown in Fig. 7 includes a bottom panel 212 and end wall panels 214 and 216 separated from the bottom 212 by score lines 218 and 220 respectively. The blank also includes a rear wall panel 222 and a front wall panel 224 separated from the end wall panels 214 and 216 by slits 226 and 228, respectively. A secondary bottom panel 230 is separated from the front and rear walls 222 and 224 by score lines 232 and 234 respectively and is provided with a diagonally disposed slit 236 which intersects a diagonally disposed score line 238. The slit 236 and score line 238 are laid out in the same manner as the slit 136 and score line 138 described above in connection with Figs. 4 through 7. A score line 240 serves to separate the secondary bottom panel 230 from the bottom panel 212. The blank 210 also includes a cover panel 244 separated from the rear wall panel 222 by a score line 246 and separated from the end wall 214 by a slit 248. The cover panel 244 may be provided with a tuck flap 250 hinged along a score line 252. The end wall panels 214 and 216 may be provided with coversupporting flange panels 254 and 256, respectively, hinged along score lines 258 and 260.

The flat blank shown in Fig. 7 may be moved into the position shown in Fig. 8 by bending along the score lines 240 and 238 with attendant separation of the edges 236a and 23617 of the slit 236, as described above in connection with either of the preceding forms of the present invention.

The box shown in Fig. 9 may be erected from the blank shown in Fig. 8 and secured in any desired fashion, as by metal corner stays 242, all as described above in connection with the preceding forms of this invention. As in said preceding forms, it may be advantageous to arrange the grain of the material as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 7 and 8. whereby the grain will run vertically on all four side walls of the box shown in Fig. 9.

While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with cartons it will be understood that blanks embodying the same may have utility in other fields. For example, blanks having the generally cruciform outline and the multi-directional disposition of the grain such as shown in Figs. 2, 5 or 8 may be provided in particular form useful as spacers or reenforcing elements in packaging, or as shirt boards for laundries or shirt manufacturers, or as display signs and the like.

I claim:

1. A blank in flat form adapted to be erected into a box including at least side walls and a bottom, consisting of a single sheet of paperboard having formed therein a first side wall panel joined along a score line with a first bottom panel, a second side wall panel joined along a second score line with said first bottom panel, said first and second score lines being spaced to define a dimen sion of said first bottom panel, a second bottom panel joined with said first bottom panel along a third score line, said third score line extending generally transversely to said first and second score lines, additional side wall panels joined with said second bottom panel along additional score lines, all of said side wall panels being separate from each other and having their bottom edges defined by the score lines along which each is joined to a bottom panel, a fourth score line and a slit converging inwardly from the extremities of said third score line and intersecting in one of said bottom panels, said flat blank being adapted to be folded through l80 along said third and fourth score lines to superimpose one of said bottom panels upon the other to form a substantially flat blank of generally cruciform shape having a bottom panel of substantially double thickness with said side wall panels radiating therefrom at angularly spaced intervals.

2. A blank in fiat form adapted to be erected into a box at least including four side walls and a rectangular bottom, consisting of a single sheet of paperboard having formed therein a first side wall panel joined along a score line with a first bottom panel, a second side wall panel joined along a second score line with said first bottom panel, said first and second score lines being parallel and spaced to define a dimension of said first bottom panel, a second bottom panel having substantially the same dimensions as said first bottom panel and joined therewith along a third score line, said third score line extending in a direction perpendicular to said first and second score lines, a third and a fourth side wall panel joined respectively with said second bottom panel along fourth and fifth score lines extending in directions parallel with said first and second score lines, said first and third side wall panels being separate from each other and having their bottom edges defined respectively by said first and fourth score lines, said second and fourth side wall panels being separate from each other and having their bottom edges defined respectively by said second and fifth score lines, said third score line constituting the hypotenuse of an isosceles right triangle, the other two sides of which comprise a sixth score line and a slit, respectively, formed in said second bottom panel, said fiat blank being adapted to be folded through 180 along said third and sixth score lines to place said first and second bottom panels in superposed registry thus to form a substantially fiat blank of generally cruciform shape having a bottom panel of substantially double thickness with said side wall panels radiating therefrom at intervals of. 90.

3. A blank in flat form adapted to be erected into a box at least including four rectangular side walls and a rectangular bottom, consisting of a single sheet of paperboard having formed therein a first rectangular side wall panel joined along a score line with a first rectangular bottom panel, a second rectangular side wall panel joined along a second score line with said first bottom panel, said first and second score lines being parallel and spaced to define a dimension of said first bottom panel, a second rectangular bottom panel having substantially the same dimensions as said first bottom panel and joined therewith along a third score line, said third score line extending in a direction perpendicular to said first and second score lines, a third and a fourth rectangular side wall panel joined respectively with said second bottom panel along fourth and fifth score lines extending in directions parallel with said first and second score lines, said first and third side wall panels being separate from each other and having their bottom edges defined respectively by said first and fourth score lines, said second and fourth side wall panels being separate from each other and having their bottom edges defined respectively by said second and fifth score lines, said third score line constituting the hypotenuse of an isosceles right triangle, the other two sides of which comprise a sixth score line and a slit, respectively, formed in said second bottom panel, said fiat blank being adapted to be folded through 180 along said third and sixth score lines to place said first and second bottom panels in superposed registry thus to form a substantially flat blank or cruciform shape having a bottom panel of substantially double thickness with said side wall panels radiating therefrom at intervals of 4. A blank in fialt form adapted to be erected into a box and the like including at least side walls and a bottom, consisting of a single sheet of paperboard having formed therein a first side wall panel joined along a first score line with a first bottom panel, a second bottom panel joined with said first bottom panel along a second score line, said second score line extending generally transversely to said first score line, a second side wall panel joined with said second bottom panel along a third score line, said first and second side wall panels having their bottom edges defined by said first and third score lines, a fourth score line and a slit converging inwardly from the extremities of said second score line and intersecting in one of said bottom panels, said fiat blank being adapted to be folded through along said second and fourth score lines to superimpose one of said bottom panels upon the other of said side wall panels being adapted to be folded along said first and third score lines whereby to form a box or the like having a bottom panel of substantially double thickness with said side wall panels extending upwardly from said bottom.

5. A blank in fiat form, adapted to be erected into a box including at least three side walls and a bottom, consisting of a single sheet of paperboard having formed therein a first side wall panel joined along a first score line with a first bottom panel, a second side wall panel joined along a second score line with said first bottom panel, said first and second score lines being spaced to define a dimension of said first bottom panel, a second bottom panel joined with said first bottom panel along a third score line, said third score line extending generally transversely to said first and second score lines, at least one additional side wall panel joined with said second bottom panel along a score line, all of said side wall panels having their bottom edges defined by the score lines along which each is joined to a bottom panel, a fourth score line and a slit converging inwardly from the extremities of said third score line and intersecting in one of said bottom panels, said flat blank being adapted to be folded through 180 along said third and fourth score lines to superimpose one of said bottom panels upon the other and said first, second and third side wall panels being adapted to be folded along the score lines along which each is joined to a bottom panel to form a box having a bottom panel of substantially double thickness with said side wall panels extending upwardly from said bottom.

Fischer Aug. 21, 1945 Kirby Oct. 5, 1954 

